The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-28
AMONG THE INSANE.
Thrilling Experiences of a Professional
NurSe.
Ffon, the Philadelphta Ne,us.

Alfred j. Mutt, the professional nurse,
who was in attendance upon John McCul-
Tough when he made his last appearance
upon the stage, and who nursed the TRACE
dian during the greater portion of his i'll
ness, has had some singular experiences.
He served four years course in st.
Thomas Hospital, London, TO perfect him
for his profession. He was afterwards CON
nected with Guys and Bartholomew Hos
pitfalls, London. The course of instruction
is very complete and requires nearly as
much close study as is necessary to become
physician or surgeon.
Upon entering an English hospital for in
Struction the student is first required to
serve term in washing bottles in the dis
pensary. His next work is body snatch
ing" This includes the handling of the
bodies of all dead patients ana their removal
from the wards to the mortuary. His next
place of service is the accident ward, and af-
ter famiharizing himself with every variety
OF accident he serves successfully in the
medical and then in the surgical wards
-Four years elapse before he completes this
round, and then he is qualified nurse. The
compensation for the work is trifling.
Mr.. Mutt has been all over the world in
the capacity of nurse since graduating, and
in 1876 was one of Florence Nightingale's
famous corps of trained nurses that went to
Genoa, POrman and Carthagenia during the
prevalence of the Asiatic cholera.
AsIATIC CHOLERA PATIENTS
The nurses served seven months at Genoa,
where the deaths numbered tens of thous-
ands, and none of them contracted the dis
ease, The hospitals were built upon poles,
similar to those used in India and other
warm climates, in order to allow a current
of air to pass underneath. Each building
was ward in itself, and had accommoda-
lions for twenty patients. Mr.. Mutt gave
some idea of the fearful mortality by the
statement that during any day of the seven
mrnths of service it was n rare occurrence
to find two living patients at 6 o'clock in the
morning out of the twenty he had left at 10
O'Clock the previous night when he went off
duty.
Before commencing their twelve months
service at Porman and Carthagenia the
nurses We're taken to Constantinople for rest.
1t is a singular fact that of the number who
were in the service but two died, and
neither of these of cholera, one of them hav-
ing been drowned in the Bay of BiScay and
the other dying at COnstantinople from
other causes. No representatives. were used,
and Mr.. Mutt aScribes their escaping the
disease to utter fearlessneSs; the keeping of
the system in regular condition; plenty of
open air exercise and careful diet.
A HUMAN GASoMETER
Since his arrival in this country, Mr..
Nutt's attention has been mostly given to
the care of insane persons, of whom he re-
lates many curious and interesting Incl
dents. One of these, who had lost large
fortune i'll oil speculations, imagined him
self gasometer Mr. Mutt had considera-
bic trouble in pacifying him. He would cry
out that he was full of gas, that he would
explode, and would ask his nurse to tap
him. Acting upon this suggestion, Mutt
pressed his hand gently on the insane mans
diaphraghm and he at once commenced to
make a Kissing noise like escaping steam
Whenever he became frantic afterwards
the operation would be repeated and the
poor fellow would sink back contentedly,
and say: THANK God that terrible ordeal
is over
Another patient labored under the hallu-
cination that he was pursued by an army of
Cinnamon, and that countless numbers of
the Celestials were constantly coming
through his window. He would Shrek with
terror and hide himself under the bed-clothes
from his imaginary pursuers. He was finally
quoted by the hanging of a knotted rope
near his bed, at which he would tug con-
stantly, and at each pull say Another pig
tail gone" This was kept up until his
death, for he thought that it would take
a lifetime to depopulate the Flowery King
dom.
One Of the saddest cases which Mr.. Mutt
ever handled was q robust and handsome
young fellow holding an excellent position
and moving in good circles of society in
New York city. He became engaged to a
lady in a sphere of life much above his own,
and the cards were out for the wedding
Two weeks before the time announced for
the ceremony to take place, he became de-
spondent over his inability to meet the ex-
penses necessary to the occasion. This
preyed upon his mind so much that his
reason was dethroned Mr.. Mutt was sum
moned to attend him, and thus tells of the
case
HE was bustling around his room in a
full dress suit when l arrived, and was anx-
iolIsly awaiting the arrival of his bride.
Upon entering his room he greeted me
warmly, and asked whether the special train
with his bride had arrived He said the
event of his marriage would be the topic of
conversation. That the Fifth Avenue Hotel
had been taken for the occasion, a Cunarder
engaged for a European tour, the road in
front of the house tanned, and that musical
boxes had been placed under every chair.
Poor fellow, rough and tumble time had
with him. He gave me a pretty good shak-
ing up. | took him to an asylum next day =,
and two months afteTward | learned of his
death"
A STRANGE HALLUCINATIoN
A peculiar case was that Of q poor imbe-
Gle whose mind had been shattered by the
belief that he was doomed TO devote his life
10 sewing buttons on garments. His insan-
ity was the result of religious excitement,
and he firmly believed his task would alb
solve him from seine imaginary sin Day
after day he would sew the buttons on any
old piece Of rag he could get. He was CON
sidered a most harmless patient until
servant had occasion to enter his room one
day and found the lifeless body of the
lunatic. He had literally picked the arte-
rieS in his wrist TO pieces with the needle
with which he was doing life penance.
Another patient had become crazy over
politics. He had aspired TO some Office and
being beaten, ascribed his defeat to adverse
newspaper criticism. From the time of his
unsuccessful candidacy his mind was gone
He was removed TO the asylum and placed
under Mr. Nuts care. lie was kept quiet
by being supplied with newspapers, which
he tore into intnitessimal pieces, all the
time laughing at his ability to destroy
what he thought was the cause of his down
fall.
One of Nuts patients had q suicidal
uania. He was I'm elderly gentleman of
cheerful appearance, and aside from the
fact that he wanted 10 die, gave very little
trouble He died an imaginary death about
fourteen times each day for he took what
he thought was bottle Of laudanum every
hour while he was awake The bottle con
tanned water, and after swallowing the
harmless liquid the old gentleman would lie
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